Track aligning tool



Nov. 1, 1938, s. DIFIGLIA v TRACK ALIGNING TOOL Filed July. 1, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet l Attorneys Nuv. 1, 1938. s WIGUA 2,134,813

TRACK ALIGNING TOOL Filed July 1, 1957 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 9 lnveniorBy mm .4 iiorneys Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

This invention relates to tools primarily adapted for aligning the railsof railroad tracks, and an object of the present invention is to providea tool of this character which may be cheaply constructed and yet, atthe same time, prove thoroughly efficient for the purpose designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of this charactercomposed of several readily separable elements, whereby 'the elementsmay be separated for storage purposes, or quickly and easilyassembledfor use.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the use of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of a stand forming part of the tool.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the stand and takensubstantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevational View of the stand.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a head member, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a handle or lever forming part of theinvention. 7

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen thatthe tool consists, in the preferred embodiment thereof, of a standindicated generally by the reference numeral 5, a head member indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 6, and a handle or lever indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 1.

The stand 5, which may be cast from metal or other suitable material,comprises a body having a rearwardly sloping inclined member 6 and anintegral forwardly sloping inclined member 7, the members 5 and l, attheir lower edges, being sharpened as at 8 and 9, respectively, so as topenetrate the ground 10, as clearly shown in Figure 1, whereby the standis held against creeping.

The forwardly sloping inclined member 1 of the stand is bifurcated, asat H, and the upper end of the member 6 of the stand is braced withrespect to the member 1 of the stand, as at [2, and is also bifurcatedor notched, as at 13, so as to accommodate, together with the notch orbifurcation H, the aforementioned head 6 in a manner clearly shown inthe drawings.

At the inner ends of the notches II and I3, the members 1 and 6,respectively, are beveled as at 14 and I5, respectively, so as to allowfor maximum swinging movement of the head 6. Rising from the upperportion of the member 6 of the stand 5 are flanges 16 provided withslots 11 and notches 18 in the lower edges of the slots,

whereby to accommodate a transverse pivot pin l9, which extends throughan intermediate portion of head 4. The head 4 is provided with arail-engaging end 20, the rail-engaging face of which is corrugated, asat 2|, or otherwise so provided so as to prevent slipping of the headwhen engaged with the base flange of the rail 22, as shown in Figure 1.

The upper end of the head 4 is provided with a socket 23 whichaccommodates the rectangular end portion 24 of the aforementioned leveror handle I.

In use, the stand 5 is placed at one side of the rail 22, betweenadjacent ties 25, and upon placing a pin [9 in selected, aligned slots18, the operator pushes or pulls on the lever or handle 1 to rotate thehead 4 in a counter-clockwise direction, so that with the end 20 of thehead engaging the base flange of the rail 22, lateral pressure will beplaced on the rail to shift the same laterally in the proper directionto parallel the rail 22 with its companion rail and also to align therail section 22 with the next adjacent rail, as will be understood bythose skilled in the art to which this invention relates.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utilityand advantages of a tool of this character will be had without a moredetailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a track aligning tool of the character described, a stand comprisingan inclined body member tapering toward its lower edge into a sharpground-penetrating edge, said body member having integral therewithintermediate its upper and lower ends a forwardly sloping inclined bodyportion, the first mentioned body member at its upper edge, and saidforwardly sloping inclined body portion, respectively. being notched toaccommodate a tool-head, said forwardly sloping inclined body portionhaving its lower edge at opposite sides of the notch sharpened topresent ground-penetrating edges, perpendicular braces integral withsaid forwardly sloping inclined body portion, and the upper end portionof the first mentioned body member at opposite sides of said notches,and the first mentioned body member at opposite sides of the notchtherein with upstanding flanges, said flanges being provided with slotsand notches in the lower edges of the slots for accommodating a pivotmember for a tool-head, and said body member and forwardly slopinginclined portion, respectively, at the inner ends of said notches beingbeveled to allow for maximum swinging movement of a tool-head.

SAM DIFIGLIA.

